The province has approached the Town of Bonnyville to conduct a study that will determine if housing is needed locally for people with complex needs.
“The province advised us they're willing to provide conditional grant funding in the amount of up to $200,000 if we're willing to support and partner with them to conduct a feasibility and needs assessment, with the focus being on sustainable housing for complex needs people,” town assistant CAO Bill Rogers told council at their March 28 meeting.
The specialized housing for complex needs development project will see the collaboration between three groups: the Town of Bonnyville, Department of Community and Social Services, and Alberta Social Housing. It looks into a wide range of complex needs, including mental health issues and disabilities.
Through the study, it will be determined whether or not there is enough of a need in Bonnyville for specialized housing to warrant building a facility. If a need is established, Rogers explained the assessment will look further into the feasibility of the project and what it might look like in the end, such as how big the complex should be, where it would be located, and the cost.
“At the end of the day, what you end up with is a case that looks at if this is feasible; if it's a good idea, to go to the government and ask for money,” noted Rogers.
Unlike other provincial grants, this is one that the town didn't apply for, rather the province approached them with the ask. Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski said it's about time.
“It gives us another opportunity to raise the awareness that we need the specialized housing. We've been saying that for 10 years. It's fantastic the province recognized that and wants to move forward with going and doing a study with it.”
He added it will go a long way to giving people with special needs the option of independent living.
“People that want to do the independent living but still need the caregivers; it's a very expensive and elevated form of housing to have independent living for those folks.”
With all of the publicity the local mental health initiatives have received recently, Sobolewski believes that, coupled with the work being done at the Dove Centre, played a role in prompting the province to offer this grant to the town.
“There's been a large effort to raise awareness because we're so underfunded. We've been the forgotten twin for so long.”
If the study confirms there is a need for this specialized housing, the town may qualify for provincial funding to then build the facility. Based on other similar projects, Rogers said “in a perfect world” it would be run and staffed by Alberta Health Services (AHS) personnel.
The needs assessment will be getting underway shortly, with all of the paperwork signed and ready to go. Rogers will be sitting on a committee with representatives from the other parties involved. He explained that over the next couple of months, they'll be setting out more details of the project and have a better idea of a timeline.
